Book Review: Sweet and Rough by Sinclair Sexsmith

Talking about sex all day sometimes makes it difficult for me to read erotica. I know plenty of sexuality professionals who love reading steamy stories for fun, but I find that it takes something special to grab my attention. Sweet and Rough by Sinclair Sexsmith is exactly that.

First off, can I just say how well written these stories are? One of the reasons I often put erotica down is the writing. Whether the dialogue is cheesy, or the descriptions are hackneyed, or the sex scenes use the same five words to talk about body parts or sex acts, a lot of erotica writers seem to hope that you’ll get so turned on that you don’t notice that it’s badly written. And then, there’s Sinclair. Their writing is skillful, inspired, and really engaging. That makes a big difference for me.

Ok, ok. What if you don’t really care about the writing? Sweet and Rough is full of incredibly hot, sexy stories about amazingly adventurous queers. There’s the one about the quickie in the alley behind a bar. There’s the one strangers meeting on the New York subway. There’s the one about the personal ad for an anonymous BDSM scene with a surprise twist at the end. What ties all of these stories together (if you’ll pardon the pun) is that they’re about rough, intense sex between a kinky queer butch top and their various lovers. Lots of adventure, lots of surprises, and of course, lots and lots of really hot sex.

Besides, there are two things that you’ll know once you read these stories. First, Sinclair loves sex. I don’t mean simply that they enjoy sex. I mean that they bring passion and love to their writing. There were moments when I was blown away by how much that shines through their words. Second, while these stories definitely capture the adventure and appeal of rough sex, there’s a tenderness that underlies it, even in the stories about strangers. In a world that assumes that rough sex doesn’t have room for that sweetness, getting to explore both flavors at the same time is utterly delicious.

And if you’re wondering how fantasies of rough sex and questions of consent play out, the introduction to the book is full of thoughtful reflections on the topic. There’s a lot of good material there to help you sort out where the lines are for you. And how often do you find books of smutty stories that will stimulate your mind as well as other parts?

One last thing to know. The stories all center on butch on femme sex, with lots of strap-ons, and imagery of cocks getting hard. I know that’s not for everyone and “queer erotica” covers such a wide range of possibilities that I want to make sure readers know what they’re getting into. But if those sorts of things turn you on, Sweet and Rough will not disappoint. Get your copy on Amazon or on Sinclair’s website.